Future SFI must learn from drought crisis
13th August 2025
Defra is being urged to ensure the SFI supports farmers in the face of a changing climate, as it develops the next round.
The call comes as many farmers are grappling with urgent challenges following the driest spring since 1956, according to the Environment Agency.
Drought-reduced winter forage stocks are already being used to feed animals, prompting requests to the Rural Payments Agency for flexibility to graze land in agri-environment schemes – requests that Defra’s current policy doesn’t accommodate without a financial penalty.
Future SFI design must address these issues, the NFU has said.
NFU deputy president David Exwood shared his frustration that concerns have been consistency raised with the government this summer – with some farmers making applications for derogations but receiving little consideration for the realities on the ground.
“With increasingly extreme dry and wet periods, there must be greater flexibility in agri-environment schemes – to protect animal welfare, ensure farmers are paid fairly for the environmental work they deliver and safeguard our national food security,” he added.
“Worst harvest in memory”
Many farmers are reporting that this year is the worst harvest they’ve seen in their lifetime.
Olly Harrison shared a video to X comparing grains from this year’s harvest to 2024 – this year three grains added up to 0.19g, whereas 14 grains from last year added up to the same weight.
“That is why we have had awful yields this year,” he said, comparing the significantly smaller grains to last year’s. “That is what the drought has done and what it’s cost.”
Jeremy Clarkson described the harvest as ‘catastrophic’, saying he’s ‘put all our grain in a hoover bag’ – while the beans died, barley yields were ‘dismal’ and only two of the 400,000 beetroot plants grew.
Other farmers were quick to share similar experiences, with Ally Hunter Blair saying: ‘Worst harvest of my life to date. Hoping it’ll be my ’76 that Dad keeps telling me about.’
Suffolk farmer Tom Jewers said: ‘Worst harvest here in my memory. Upsides being that it was over quickly, didn’t use much diesel and there’s loads of room in the grain stores for the machinery still. And prices? At least the government has our backs, eh?’
Meanwhile organic dairy farmer Rob Perry said he has only half the forage he needs to feed his cows this winter.
AHDB report
The latest AHDB harvest report revealed that the winter barley and oilseed rape harvests are now complete, with yields improving as harvest continues – despite stop-start progress caused by short spells of often heavy rain.
According to the report, winter barley and winter wheat yields are down 1% on the five-year average – while OSR yields are averaging the highest since 2011 for the winter sown crop.
Some crops have lower Hagberg falling numbers because of recent rains, with moisture ranges from 12.2–17%.
The spring barley harvest was 19% complete at the time of the report but AHDB said early yields are encouraging; up 21% on the five-year average.
The fourth AHDB harvest 2025 report is due on Friday 22nd August.
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